Watercraft



June 13, 1961' J, v HUNT 2,988,034

WATERCRAFT Filed Oct. 17, 1957 United States Patenti4 I Vlitre 2,988,034 WATERCRAFI' .lames V. Hunt, 506 E. Walnut St., Camden, S.C. Filed Oct. 17, 1957, Ser. No. 690,876 6 Claims. (Cl. 114-61) This invention relates to watercraft, and the like particularly of the type adapted to ride substantially on the surface of the water, and in particular a boat in which the foundation of the hull includes longitudinally positioned parallel tubes, three or five tubes being preferred, sealed by Vertical partitions at the ends and having vertically disposed partitions intermediate of the ends, providing compartments or bouyant members, and the tubes which taper toward the bow and stern, are sufficient to support a deck and Ialso a superstructure such as cabins wherein with the propelling and steering elements suspended -below the tubes a complete ship is provided.

The craft may Ibe a rowboat, canoe, launch, cabin cruiser, or ocean liner, and it may be pushed or pulled, or propelled by suitable power units that may be positioned whereby the balance of power is amidships. The tubes may be provided with one or more bulkheads that divide the hull into six or more sealed compartments.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a substantially unsinkable hull with or without propelling elements, for watercraft and in which dierent types of boats or 'ships may be used in combination with the hulls.

Hulls of Iboats and ships have been provided with various types of individual compartments which prevent the hull filling with water. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a foundation for the hull of a ship including three elongated parallel sealed tubes with a deck positioned on the tubes and with side walls and suitable superstructure extended upwardly above the deck.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for combining a plurality of sealed longitudinally disposed tubes whereby the tubes form the foundation of a hull of watercraft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination of longitudinally disposed sealed tubes positioned in 'a horizontal plane to form the hull of watercraft Whereby with cargo properly ybalanced the deck of watercraft is maintained in a near level position continuously.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for combining a plurality of longitudinally disposed tubes to form the hull of a boat in which propelling and steering units may be suspended below the tubes, and in which the device may be used with and without rudders.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a plurality of longitudinally disposed sealed tubes combined to form the hull of watercraft in which a deck or other superstructure may be mounted on the tubesv and in which the watercraft is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies three longitudinally positioned sealed tubes positioned in a horizontal plane with vertical ends of the tubes beveled to provide points at the bow and stern, with a deck and superstructure mounted on the tubes and with motor driven propellers suspended from lower surfaces of the tubes.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description vtaken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing a boat adapted to provide a launch or ocean liner in which a superstructure is mounted on a plurality of longitudinally disposed tubes and in which motor driven propellers and rudders are extended below lthe tubes.

tubes with motor driven propellers suspended below the tubes and with decks mounted on the tubes.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a boat including a plurality of longitudinally disposed tubes with the ends beveled. and showing a modification including controls for a plurality of rudders wherein the rudders at one end turn in4 a direction opposite to that of rudders at the opposite end.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view illustrating another modifica-- tion wherein -a typical hull of watercraft or a ship includes three parallel tubes assembled to form a hull of' a boat with the ends beveled vertically and with fastening elements in the ends.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view showing a typical watercraft illustrating another modication in which part of the deck is broken away showing the deck mounted ony the tube 10 positioned in the center, and the tubes 11 and 12 positioned at the sides and with the ends of the tubes sealed with vertically disposed partitions S and 9, wherein a hull is provided having elongated air chambers which, with conventional compartment doors in intermediate partitions of the tubes closed forming sealed pockets, providing buoyant means for watercraft.

In the design illustrated in FIG. 5 the tubes 10, 11, and 12 are assembled with the meeting edges. secured together by welding or other suitable fastening means and with the ends of the tube 10 having beveled vertical surfaces 13 and 14 providing a vertically disposed line or a point in plan 15 at one end and 16 and 17 providing a point 18l at the opposite end. The tube 11 is also provided withbeveled vertical ends 19 and 20 and the tube 12 is provided with similar end surfaces 21 and 22. The hull is; provided with a deck 23` and suitable superstructure, such` as that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, may extend upwardly' above the deck.

The typical form, illustrated in FIG. 7, may be used as a rowboat with three tubes 81, 32, and 83 held together by a hull having a bottom 84 and side walls 85 and 86, with an area removed from the intermediate part, and the intermediate part may be dropped downwardly to a plane substantially on the centers of t-he tubes, or formed by suitable means to provide space for an operator and passengers.

In the Vdesign illustrated in FIG. 4 a typical hull is illustrated wherein the device includes a center tube 24, side tubes 25 and 26, a deck '27, rudders 28, 29 and 30 spaced from one end and 31, 32, and 33, spaced from the opposite end.

The rudders 28, 29 and 30 are provided with cross bars 34, 35, and 36 and arms 37, 38 and 39 extended from the nected with cables, chains, or other means 48 and 49,

Patented June 13, 1961 annabee opposite ends ofthe cross-bars 35 and 42 are connected with similar cables, chains, or other devices 50 and 51- and the cross bars 36 and 43 are connected with similar devices 52 and 53. With the cross bars at the upper ends of the stems or shafts of'the=.rudders connected'fin. this manner the rudders 31,32, and'SZeare-turnedlin a direc-A tion oppositeto that of the rudders 28, 29 and 3.0.

The rudders are turned to diie/rent positiousvby. a seg.-` ment 54 pivotally mounted on a shaft 55 andzconnected' to the extended ends; of the cross bars i1k andKA 43 with. cables 56 and 57, the cable 56 being trained over an idler pulley 58 and the cable 57 being trainedover a similar idler pulley S9.

It will be understood that the assembly of rudders. and the means for operating the saine illustrated in FIG;` 4' may be used in each of thediiferent designs, however, the rudders may be used on other Watercraft as desired.

In the design illustrated in FIG. l a hull 60'including three longitudinally disposed tubes, as illustratedy in FIG. 51 is provided with a superstructure includinga deckflpositioned directly upon the tubes and upper, decks, as indicated by the numeral 62 and the decks may be provided with hand rails, as indicated by the numeral'63'. It will be understood that one or more of the decks-may be provided with a cabin 100, such as a launch, or a plurality of decks and cabins, such as an ocean Iliner andthe boat: may be of any suitable size or design.

Also in the designillustrated in FIG. l the device is provided with motor driven propeller units including mo,-v tors 64, 65, 66, and 67 with propellers68, 69, 70 and .71, and it will be understood that any suitable'nurnber ofthe motor and propeller units may be used as may be desired; In the design illustrated in FIGS. l and 2 the shipjs provided with rudders 72, 73, and 74 at'the stern and175, 76j and1'7 at the bow and, particularly as illustrated in FIG. l each rudder is mounted on a shaft'78 with thev forwardend 79 of the rudder extended `forwardly of-the shaft and with the. trailing end Sti extended rearwardly from,l the shaft. It is preferred to position the shaft whereby oneifth to one-third of the rudder extends forwardly of the shaftand the leading ends'of the rudders may begstreamlined or of any suitable design.

The invention is, primarily, in the use of three or` ve longitudinally positioned sealed tubes forminga hull nwith, t

beveled vertical ends and with propelling and steeringelements extended below the tubes and `also with elementsof watercraft such as a deck, cabin, and the likepositioned uponthe tubes.

The tubes may be secured together `and'to sidefwalls; such las by welding or with rivets, as indicated by thefnu-v meral 91, in FIG. 3, or by any other suitablemeans:

The ship may be provided with as many bulkheadsor watertight compartments as desired.

The tubes are also held together by a main deck'and various types of cabins or other superstructuremay be positioned on the main deck.

The area between the peripheral edge of the main decktv and horizontal center plane of the tubes is closed by a panel or wall dit and this Wall `also extends upwardly re-y inforeing the structure and providing a mounting fora hand rail.

For small craft, such as a rowboat or canoe, the-center portions of the tubes may be cut away down to the horizontal plane extending through the centers of theftubes, providing a well or opening for an operator as-shown` in FIGURE 7, wherein tubes 8l, 82, and 83 are formedwith the upper portions of the intermediate parts omittedi providing a deck orl seat 84, and sidewallsgSS-aud186 extend upwardly at the sides ofthe deck.

The watercraft may be divided into sections bybulkheads and the bulkheads will extend across theinteriors` ofthe tubes and also across the areasbetween the bulk-k heads and main deck and across the Vareas between the- Thesebulkheads bulkheads and sides of the watercraft. extend to the tops of the tubes.

The steering rudder-s may be positioned as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, orthe rudders. may be positioned cables will be of sutiicient strength for cable control; If powercontrol isy desired, suitable means-Will beprovided for-hydraulic, electric, or'worm andgear operation of the six rudders.

TheV motor units are staggered so asnot to cause com-- pression of water between the motorVV units.v

All areas between andaround the tubes'may be lill'ed with cargo.

Theelectric enginel motorsV are positionedy tov balancethe ship, and may befopeiated to pull or push the ship. Generatingunits-iwill be placediin mid-ship section. It-will be understood that other modifications, within the scope ofr the appendedclaims, may be made in the-de-` sign and arrangement of the parts without departing from;V

the spiritv of the invention.

Whatis claimed is:

l. A hull for watercraft comprising three sealed longitudinally` disposed tubes including a centertube and tubes at the sidesrthereof with side surfaces of the tubes. in abuttingv relation and with they ends: of the centerV tube wedge-shaped inplan and' ends ofthey tubes: at:

the side beveled and positioned in planes in whichsidc surfaces ofthe 7endsbf the center'tube are positioned;

2. A. watercraftV comprising threeV juxtapositioned Vlongitudinally disposed sealed tubes including a center tube and tubes at thesides thereof secured togetherwith the ends of thecenter tube being V-shaped in plany and' with the tubes at the sideshaving vertically beveled ends,A

the ends ofthe tubesat the sidesbeing in planes inl alignment with the beveled surfaces at the sides of. the ends ofthe centrer tube,` and adeck positioned'on-said tubes.

3. Ay hull for watercraft comprising Vthree juxtapositioned longitudinally disposed sealed tubesincluding a center tube'andtubes at the sides-thereof-assembled with side surfaces of the tubes inmeeting relation to formarhull; and said hull having beveled ends, the-ends ofthe cene tervtube being V-shapedvin plan and the beveledends of the tubesat the sides being aligned with the sidevsurfaces at theends of the center tube, a deck positioned on the hull, propelling units suspended from'the; three tubes,l and steering elements also suspendedv from the three tubes.

4. Afr hull forwat-ercraft comprisingthree sealedllongitudinally disposedA tubes including a center tube and tubes at the sides thereof, meansY for securing thetubes together with the wallsof'the tubes `in meetingrelation, the ends-of the three tubes being beveled providing vertically disposed planes at the bow and stern, and theends of the center tube being V-shaped in plan andthe ends.

of the tubesat they sides `being, positioned in-planes-in which side; surfaces ofthe ends of the center tubeare-v positioned, a deck positioned upon the'three-tubes; motory driven'propell'ersV depending from the three tubes, and.

ruddersalso extended below4 the tubes.

5. A hullfor watercraft comprising scaledy longitudinally disposed tubes including a center tube. andtubes at the sides thereof, means for `securing the tubes together with walls of thetubes in meeting relation, the `ends'of the tubes being beveled vertically providingvertical-ly` disposed planes at the bow and stern, the ends -of the centen tube having beveled surfaces thereon andthe beveledendsof thetubes ,at the sides beinginplfanesv extended through the beveled surfaces at the ends'of 'thecenter tube, a deck positioned upon the tubes, motor driven propellers depending from the tubes, rudders also extended below the tubes, and a cabin positioned on the deck.

6. A hull for watercraft as in claim 4, wherein there are six rudders and means is provided for actuating the rudders from the deck.

608,565 Ahern Aug. 9, 1898 6 Reed Dec. 2-1, 1909 Crawford Dec. 20, 1910 Peebles June 20, 1911 Ward Nov. y3, 1925 Ward June 1f1, 1929 Blair Apr. 8, 1930 Douglas May 6, 1930 'Iurkovich May 23, 1939 Potts et al. May 15, 1956 Hupp Mar. 3, 1959 

